Budget home power rack for strength?

runswithascript

I know a lot of equipment is out of stock at the moment but I would like to invest in a home power rack and I can set up some stock alerts and wait if necessary.

When I was last doing 5 x 5 my squat was increasing each session but I stopped ~150KG due to injury. I am not sure how much more I will be able to lift when I get to that point again, but I do not want to buy a power rack only to soon find I cannot use it. I mentioned this as I know many power racks are limited to 150KG load or even less.

Please share your recommendation for the best budget power rack - I am interested in recommendations regardless of stock and/or just for what is currently available.

Black Sheep

If you were squatting 5x5 at 150kg then you must know your way around a gym and know the difference between squat stands, a half rack and a full power rack.

I would tend to think you're looking for a half rack or full rack rather than squat stands?

Strength Shop UK would be my choice for budget equipment that is still of reasonably good quality.

It's a bit of an odd duck option, but you might be interested in their adjustable yoke training station, that's 292.50 euro delivered. It's a strongman yoke walk, but it comes with catcher arms and you can order it with j-hooks to effectively make it a half rack. You can squat, press, bench from it no bother. Lowest pin height is 60cm, which I think also means it should be fine for benching(?). https://www.strengthshop.ie/strength-shop-yoke-training-station.html

Dispatch by 16 November. Might be a bit of an eccentric choice but it's rated to 250kg and at the end of the day it's under 300 euro, that's not bad considering you'd sell it on easily during lockdown anyway if you don't like it. I guess it would be a little weird to put it in a room in a house, though, you'd lose the ability to also use it for loaded walks.

The rest of their racks and half racks would be good options, if they appeared on pre-order.

I like half racks for a lot of home training set-ups because the footprint is smaller, I have one myself and even though it's not a full cage I wouldn't feel unsafe squatting heavy. 150kg-180kg should not be a problem, if the half rack is heavy enough. You'd be safer in a decent half rack with catcher arms than you would be in a full rack if it's a crappy lightweight one from Amazon.

This Wolverson quarter rack is UK made, not bad pricing. https://wolverson-fitness.co.uk/collections/rigs-racks-stands/products/copy-of-wolverson-free-standing-squat-rack

Worth mentioning that some of the racks on Strength Shop are priced about the same as what an Irish metal fabricator would make you a half rack for. I got Ciaran Comerford from Ultimate Gym Equipment to make a few bits for me in the past few years, could be worth getting a quote from if they're still in business.

Blk Box and Rogue Europe seem to be re-stocking regularly and have good designs... But budget they are not.

Check your ceiling height for whatever you get.

runswithascript

Firstly, what a great reply, a lot of great info there thanks!

Black Sheep wrote: »

I would tend to think you're looking for a half rack or full rack rather than squat stands?

My bad, I should have been specific, I mean to ask about a full rack. I have considered what you have mentioned, and you are right, the yoke training station or halfrack with high weight rating would definitely be better than a full size power rack with a poor weight rating that is just going to limit me and could only be used temporarily.

Black Sheep wrote: »

It's a bit of an odd duck option, but you might be interested in their adjustable yoke training station, that's 292.50 euro delivered. It's a strongman yoke walk, but it comes with catcher arms and you can order it with j-hooks to effectively make it a half rack. You can squat, press, bench from it no bother. Lowest pin height is 60cm, which I think also means it should be fine for benching(?). https://www.strengthshop.ie/strength-shop-yoke-training-station.html

Dispatch by 16 November. Might be a bit of an eccentric choice but it's rated to 250kg and at the end of the day it's under 300 euro, that's not bad considering you'd sell it on easily during lockdown anyway if you don't like it. I guess it would be a little weird to put it in a room in a house, though, you'd lose the ability to also use it for loaded walks.

Nice bit of kit! I want this mostly for squatting, benching without a spotter, and overhead press.

Black Sheep wrote: »

I like half racks for a lot of home training set-ups because the footprint is smaller, I have one myself and even though it's not a full cage I wouldn't feel unsafe squatting heavy. 150kg-180kg should not be a problem, if the half rack is heavy enough. You'd be safer in a decent half rack with catcher arms than you would be in a full rack if it's a crappy lightweight one from Amazon.

This Wolverson quarter rack is UK made, not bad pricing. https://wolverson-fitness.co.uk/collections/rigs-racks-stands/products/copy-of-wolverson-free-standing-squat-rack

Also nice, though I was hoping to spend less - to be clear here, when I say hoping I mean only if possible, if I have to spend more than I want for the right equipment I will, although I am on a very fixed budget.

Black Sheep wrote: »

Worth mentioning that some of the racks on Strength Shop are priced about the same as what an Irish metal fabricator would make you a half rack for. I got Ciaran Comerford from Ultimate Gym Equipment to make a few bits for me in the past few years, could be worth getting a quote from if they're still in business.

I will look them up also. Any concern that you would be using something not mass produced for catching weights? I mean, do they certify with a weight rating etc?

Black Sheep wrote: »

Check your ceiling height for whatever you get.

Yeah, that could really ruin your day

I should probably mention I sold any equipment I had in the past when I started going to the gym so I will also need to invest in an olympic barbell, olympic plates, and a bench, perhaps I could get some deal from a provider buying the whole lot together.

I wonder if much second hand equipment is becoming available with the repeated gym closures.

Right now I am still inclined to go with a full power rack or at least a half rack - I have seen stars at times squatting even when taking sitting breaks of between 3 - 5 minutes between sets, so for that reason and also the knowledge that if something went very wrong with a full rack on an overhead press (which most stresses my injury) if I were to fall, no matter what way I fell the bar would be caught. I think many full racks have a future option for a pulley system too. Some of this is also just personal preference for a full rack.

runswithascript

Just looking at some more half racks on Strength Shop. The low profile of the half rack is appealing - are there many limitations versus a full size?

Black Sheep

runswithascript wrote: »

I will look them up also. Any concern that you would be using something not mass produced for catching weights? I mean, do they certify with a weight rating etc?

It's possible that some of the metal fabricators who do a lot of business and are fitting out full gyms would have some answer for you on this, I would assume the ones who have delivered a number of racks to sports clubs must have come up against this before, but the short answer is I don't know.

I would suggest that from the consumer point of view if you know that you're getting something welded in Ireland and it's from decently heavy box tube steel then I wouldn't worry. I would actually expect it to be better quality than any of the imported stuff from China, even though the likes of Strength Shop will have certifications and legalese on their site for each product.

With the Strength Shop stuff it is sturdy enough itself, but if I compare it to the Irish made stuff I've seen the welds are usually nowhere near as good. But that's how they deliver a product like that yoke for under 300 euro.

I should probably mention I sold any equipment I had in the past when I started going to the gym so I will also need to invest in an olympic barbell, olympic plates, and a bench, perhaps I could get some deal from a provider buying the whole lot together.

I wonder if much second hand equipment is becoming available with the repeated gym closures.

You can probably get anything you're after out there at the moment, bars are in stock in different places, and iron plates are on pre-order from Strength Shop right now.

I would say now is the time to order though, if it's like the last lockdown there'll be a run in the coming couple of weeks as people realise they want stuff for home.

Right now I am still inclined to go with a full power rack or at least a half rack - I have seen stars at times squatting even when taking sitting breaks of between 3 - 5 minutes between sets, so for that reason and also the knowledge that if something went very wrong with a full rack on an overhead press (which most stresses my injury) if I were to fall, no matter what way I fell the bar would be caught. I think many full racks have a future option for a pulley system too. Some of this is also just personal preference for a full rack.

If you have the space to be honest I'd go full rack too, it's the gold standard for safely training at home.

Let us know what you go with!

Hector.Mann

I would suggest Facebook marketplace. Picked up a second hand one for around $150.

Dtp1979

How is a half rack safer than a full cage? I didn’t realise they came with a weight rating either

Black Sheep

Dtp1979 wrote: »

How is a half rack safer than a full cage? I didn’t realise they came with a weight rating either

A full rack / cage is safer. You can set the pins to bench and squat with a high degree of confidence. With a good quality half rack you can do that too but you are depending on being a bit more aware of the catcher arms and their length. The advantage of a half rack is their smaller footprint.

A heavy, well made half rack will obviously still be safer than a lightweight, cheap full rack in some situations of course. I see full racks for sale at insanely low prices. Personally wouldn’t trust squatting a significant weight in them, but to each their own.

Some vendors will have recommended max weights. The weight of the rack is also worth considering, and whether it’s bolted down, what the design is etc.

Dtp1979

I assume when they say max weight they’re talking about what the safety’s can take at impact?

Alf Veedersane

Dtp1979 wrote: »

I assume when they say max weight they’re talking about what the safety’s can take at impact?

Might be a dangerous assumption.

Dtp1979

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Might be a dangerous assumption.

Haha yea very true. I checked the spec on mine and it’s 227kg. It’ll be a long time before I get anywhere near racking or dropping that kinda weight from a squat.

Alf Veedersane

Dtp1979 wrote: »

Haha yea very true. I checked the spec on mine and it’s 227kg. It’ll be a long time before I get anywhere near racking or dropping that kinda weight from a squat.

When you miss, you're rarely dropping the weight from a height.

Unless you're a twat that's watched too many weightlifters training on ATGinsta and thought it was cool to dump the bar from a height.

Dtp1979

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

When you miss, you're rarely dropping the weight from a height.

Unless you're a twat that's watched too many weightlifters training on ATGinsta and thought it was cool to dump the bar from a height.

No, I generally fail out of the hole so it’s a 3” drop